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Thursday

The Candida Cleanse Diet

I would appreciate it very much if you would leave me a comment and please come back and let me know how you are doing with this diet if you use it. Please remember, I am not a doctor and claim no medical expertise. This is the diet I am doing to get rid of my candida. You may want to check with your doctor before trying this at home.Never Do Anything You See Me Do On This Blog Without Consulting With Your Health Care Professional Before Beginning Any Treatment

* Please keep in mind that sweets should be extremely limited.
Candida thrives in a sugary environment, so we want nothing that feeds it to be ingested. This means NO SUGAR, or sweet sugary things. If you break this diet at all or decide to cheat just one time, you have to start all over again!!! Please understand, only way to beat it is to conquer candida, is by not feeding it.

The supplements help, but only with the diet will you gain back control of your body from this infection.

Avoid all sugar, (Stevia may be used as a sweetner, since it doesn't feed candida). No other sweetners may be used. Avoid all foods with hight fructose corn syrup, tis is just concentrated sugar. No nutrasweet, splenda or any other artifical sweetner.

No yeast or yeast containing foods such as bread, rolls, etc. No corn, peanuts, mushrooms or foods containing any of these ingredients. All these foods have molds and feed candida.

No Grapes or grape products...No bananas, check labels for products sweetened with grape juice. No juices of any kind. NO ANTIBIOTICS, these are the major cause of candida outbreaks.

1. No fruits of any kind for at least 2-3 weeks. After that slowly add in fruits such a apples, pears, peaches etc. No bananas or grapes for at least 3 months. No citrus fruits for at least 6 weeks. Then only eat a few of them twice a week.

NOTE;;;;; I have found that I can not add fruit until my candida is clear because it comes right back.

2. Drink plenty of chlorine free water. For the first few weeaks steam distilled water is the best as it helps remove toxins from candida out of the body. Drink at least 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of water a day. Avoid ingesting water containinng chlorine, this kills good flora in the body.

3. Eat only wholde grains as close to their natural form as possible. For the first 3-4 week, eat grains that have a low to no gluten content. These include brown rice, millet, oats, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa and barley. After 3-4 more weeks you caan add kamut, spelt and wheat. Try to get these products organic if possible and eat only in their whole grain forms.

4. The following is a list of fiber containing vegetables that are low carbohydrate also. You may eat them fresh, crozen, cooked or raw. Eat organic so they won't have chemicals on them that may help yeast to grow. The following may be eaten for the first 3-4 weeks then slowly add different vegetables.

Mustard, ketchup, worcestershire, Accent (MSG) steak, barbecue, chili, shrimp and soy sauces. No sauerkraut, horseradish an tammari. Vinegar containing foods such as mayonnaise and salad dressings. You may use lemon juice as a substitute for vinegar in salad dressings.

10. For the first 3-4 weeks avoid all the following. Edible fungi, mushrooms, morels and truffles. No melons, watermelons, honeydews and cantaloupes. No dried and candied fruits such as raisins, apricots, dates, prounes, figs and pineapple.

11. No yeast breads, rolls, cakes or pastries of any kind. If you must bake, use aluminum free baking powder as a leavening agent.

A last word about DIE OFF REACTIONS. Die offs occcur as a result of the candida being killed or dieing. When the yeast dies, it releases toxins into the blood stream. Symptoms of yeast die off can vary with each person and may include.....fatigue, depression, aching, irrability and abdominal pain.

You may have these or other symptoms, there are no set rules as to what you will experience in a die off. The symptoms will usually disappear and will be less as more of the yeast is destroyed.

The worse thing you can give your body in regard to the Candida Diet and in regard to health in general is sugar. It weakens the immune system and gives yeast a spectacular feast.

Sugar is Candida's favorite food. If you remove nothing else from your diet, it must be sugar.

You may think that you don't eat much sugar, but you eat sugar unknowingly many times a day, because sugar is added to almost every food on the market in the traditional store and is even common place in the health food stores. The health food stores usually carry items that contain organic sugar, but sugar is sugar when it comes to Candida and immune function.

To remove sugar from your diet you must read labels very carefully. All forms of sugar should be removed from the diet.

Now granted, if you really must eat sugar, organic sugar is definitely a better choice, because it doesn't have pesticides in it and it hasn't been stripped of its nutritional value, unlike refined white sugar. But in regard to Candida, sugar is sugar. It doesn't distinguish between organic or inorganic. It will be quite happy to eat either one of them and proliferate equally.

The Candida Diet Basics

These Candida diet basics are essential to be successful in reducing or eliminating symptoms.

For most people, grains should be avoided or eaten in very small amounts when following the Candida diet as they are highly allergenic and high in carbohydrates. Some people do fairly well with grains, while others can't eat any at all.

-rice
-wheat
-oats
-barley
-spelt
-rye

Alternate Grains
-Kamut
-Quinoa

Dairy and Eggs

-Yogurt is good because it contains healthy bacteria.

-Cheese or cottage cheese may be eaten once in a while.
-Eggs are a good protein and no carbs.

Beans

Beans are a good source of protein, however they are also high in carbohydrates, so should be eliminated or reduced for most people. Some people do okay on them while others can't eat them at all.

-lima
-pinto
-navy
-split pea
-black,etc.

Nuts

Some people can include nuts, while other's can't. Nuts are very good for you, so if you can include them in your diet, you should. However in the beginning phase of the Candida diet they are best avoided or reduced.

I've found that it's much easier to stay on the Candida diet if you allow yourself treats from time to time, so you don't feel deprived. I allow myself to have something sweet, yet healthy about once a week.

There may also be special occasions and holidays when you would like to indulge in something tasty and delicious.

More than likely you will experience cravings from time to time that are uncontrollable and you must have something sweet.

For any of these occurrences it's best to indulge in healthy sweets that aren't damaging to the immune system and won't make the Candida proliferate to the same extent as sugar.

Make your own dessert or buy some at the health food store that are sweetened with these sugar alternatives:

All of these alternatives are a whole food, rather than a simple sugar, so they will contain nutritional value and will break down in the body slower than simple sugars. They also won't skyrocket the blood sugar levels.

Stevia is a fantastic herbal sweetener. It does not feed the Candida and it does not upset the blood sugar. However Stevia can be difficult to use and takes a little getting used to.

Agave is another good source that is fairly new on the market. I've just started learning about it in the last couple years. It will feed Candida, but it is much less offensive. It also does not give you the spike in blood sugar that refined sweeteners do. I actually find agave to be better for the blood sugar than any of the other alternative sweeteners.

Beginning
In the beginning phase you must be much stricter with adherence and your choices will be more limited.

Intermediate
In time, you'll see some improvement in your symptoms and as that happens you can bring back more complex carbohydrates and fruit etc. You can be less strict with adherence.

Advanced
If you've made a lot of progress in reducing Candida symptoms, then you may move into a Candida diet that consists of more complex carbohydrates and even less strict guidelines.

It's also common for individuals to alternate back and forth between phases. For example: You may have reached a point where your symptoms are really under control and you have a lot more food choices and can tolerate quite a bit of carbohydrate and then a set back occurs and you have to go back to the beginning phase again for a period of time.

A setback can occur in response to stress, hormones, you've overdone the sweets on a holiday, you've had the flu or some other illness, you've had to take an antibiotic.

The Candida diet can be very challenging to live with, there's no way to candy coat it. Pun intended. Curing Candida Can Consume Your Life
It also takes time for your body to adjust. Initially you will feel tired and hungry as you adjust to the lower level of carbohydrates and your Candida screams for you to feed it.

123 comments:

Hi, Terri. I sympathize with what you're going through. I'm still stuck in the chutes 'n ladders of candida. The only good thing to say about the diet is weight loss. Inadvertent, but at least there's something good that's come of it. Someday, the pharmaceutical companies will make a candida-killer that's not ravaging to the liver. One can only hope....

Fortunately for me Shaklee made Optiflora to enable the body to replenish good bacterias almost 20 years ago and I have been free of Candida ever since. I do watch my diet, just because I am 78 years old and have a very busy lifestyle but there is not anything I cannot eat at this point in moderation. The balance has been established I assume and life is good. One thing you didn't mention in OIls is Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. I am recommending that to my clients for brain health as well as general health. I do know that candida has a terrible effect on the mind and the Coconut is very brain healthy.

I have had candida for years and haven't been able to fully control it yet, mostly due to lack of self discipline. I must say, I have searched high and low for Candida info on the net, but Your blog has by far had more info than probably all of them put together! Thank you so much for sharing this, I am going to tackle this "beast" once and for all. Good luck with your Candida I hope you keep it under control. I am bookmarking your blog so I can come back and learn more.

Thank you for your site it is good to know i am not the only one going through this.

I have been dealing with thrush on and off for years now it has control of my life when it is around and when it is not i live in fear of it coming back.

In the past i was on a very strict candida diet, but i had to add some things like gluten free(as im coeliac)corn bread to give me energy as i became very under weight (I can tell though that it is feeding the candida, so i can only have corn bread once and a while)

I have been trying natural remidies and herbs which have had varied results, but most annoyingly i went to MY DOCTOR and told him of my issues and he was quite agravated that i had been seeing a naturopath and using natural remidies, WHATS WORSE he gave me a antifungil to take called nizoral and told me very sternly to go back EATING WHAT EVER I LIKED!!!! as food had NO LINK to candida i was very doubtful that this would work but i tried it any way just to prove him wrong and....... I feel worse than i have ever been i have horibble symptoms of thrush and i am going to take great satisfation on going back to my doctor and telling him that he is wrong.

i think that is one thing that i have learnt is to listen to your body and try to figure out what works or does not work for you.

Hi, first time on your blog. I have been on the no yeast diet for three weeks but recently had a setback. Do you know if plantain chips are ok? I haven't been able to find anything online except about bananas.

Hi, I'm just wondering if you could clarify if it is really not good to eat fermented foods on this diet? Would something like natto (fermented soybeans) be a no-no? also what about miso paste?? And finally how often do you think it is OK to eat gluten-free grains like brown rice & buckwheat -- 1 serving a day? or even 2? i'd really appreciate your opinion, thanks!

Natalie, First, let me tell you. This is a very hard diet to follow. Very, very strict.

For the first probably... 2 months I ate nothing but certain nuts, vegetables and protein as in meats and fish.

After I started the grains, I could not eat fermented foods for a long time because they made my stomach burn. Eventually, I started making my own saurkaraut and eating misho soup. If you can eat it and it doesn't bouther you... then go aghead and eat it.

Now... I stuck to that diet like there was no tomorrow... I even tested candida clear. I felt much, much better. At one point, I thought I was completely healed. I am not sure if it was because I had been so sick or maybe at one point , I was healed'

Again, I was having problems digesting and burning in my stomach. My tongue started burning so bad that it felt like I stuck it on a hot pan. I could not digest my food .... again...

Eventually, I found I had parasites, Read my post on Humaworm Parasite Review.

After doing the parasite cleanse..... I was better again. Then yet again it started coming back.

I then went on the TruFlora Probiotic and started healing very fast. My burning tongue went away. I could eat gluten again. I am now going to restaurants and ordering like a normal person. I think... the probiotics I was taking were not working. Once I found the correct probiotic ... everything changed for me.

So, today, as I write this... I am doing my second parasite cleanse from Humaworm. Then, they have a Candida cleanse that you do not have to change your diet for. My sister is doing it right now and having very good results. She also tested candida free and the Humaworm candida cleanse is still getting more candida out of her.... So that is why I am going to do it. Even though I feel great.... Candida is probably hiding somewhere in my body. Dr Bailey says it hides in our livers, gallbladders and anywhere else it can..

As soon as I am finished with the parasite cleanse, candida cleanse... I will be starting the TruFlora probiotic again. I just love that stuff.

I will be posting on how I am doing. But if I had it to do over again.... I would not do this or any candida diet. I wasted my time and money.

Hi my name is Yalonda I have been dealing with candid and parasites for about a year now I have been on the diet well trying to be as strict as possible for about 6mo. I am curious about the cleanses you do now and how you said you wouldn't even waste the time and money. I will look up the cleanses but would love to talk to you a little bit more if you don't mind. My email is thevillagranas@yahoo.com if I had an email for you that would be awesome but I don't see one posted here maybe I'm not looking good enough but if you wouldn't mind emailing me that would be greatly appreciated.

Pia, It was the Humaworm Candida Cleanse. But I used it and it didn't work. They say you don't have to change your diet... NOT TRUE. My sister used it but she was already eating the candida diet and really didn't have to change.

If I do indeed have this, I honestly don't know if I could follow this diet. I'm border line diabetic, and my sugar bottoms very easily. I have to take glucose tablets often. I have to have the carbs and some sugar, although I know I could definitely stand to cut a lot out. I really wonder about this. Every time I eat anything, I have to go to the bathroom right after eating, sometimes before I'm finished.

This diet is actually good for controlling blood sugar since it is lower in carbs. i have a nutrition degree and gave never been fond of the Atkins diet, but this can be converted to more of a mediterranean diet. If your blood sugar seems to dip too low then I would recommend including some of the complex carbs such as brown rice and quinoa with your meals and eating every 3-4 hours being sure not to skip meals

If your blood sugar is low more often than high it sounds like you have hypoglycemia instead of diabetes, these are actually two different conditions. I am a diabetic educator and would recommend that you eat every 3-4 hours and make sure your breakfast has enough protein and fiber to avoid the low blood sugar episodes. Adding the whole grain carbs to your meal such as brown rice and quinoa will help you get enough carbs to avoid ketosis.We do not use the term borderline anymore and if a dr is using that term find a new one, it is called pre-diabetes and is diagnosed with a fasting blood sugar between 100-125, diabetes is above 125.I wish you luck :)

have leaky gut and candida and have been sensitized to basically everything. even things that would be okay for candida diet...i am going to have to do better with my diet...thanks for the post. I realize i have been eating a lot of things that may be contributing to the candida if not to the leaky gut :(

Will using all these help even if the outbreak seems severe? I ended up sweating badly withdrawing off medication and it has severely caused a fungal outbreak through out my body I even feel sick some. I have major problems when I first wake up I feel lethargic with a headache and neck ache. I can smell fungus coming out of the pores.

I have not read too much about ROSACEA on your excellent blog! I am 50 and have had rosacea for over 3 years and am finally on to the cure which is VERY STRICT CANDIDA diet as you listed above.....I was a vegetarian for over 20 years and to give up fruit was unbelievable to me. It is the best food on earth, right? Well since making my meals centered around vegetables, and filling up on meat and chicken (never thought that would happen!) my red cheeks and bumps have slowly disappeared. Thanks so much for your site....DOCTORS will never come around to recommending a diet change...

Hi. I have just been told I have candida, I'm 22 and finding it so hard, I'm off everything I enjoy eating and I find it gets me down and my emotions are all over the shop. I don't know where you are from but I live in the UK and it's impossible to get things I can eat, no one has heard of candida either. I'm trying to make snacks that I can actually enjoy! Any suggestions?

Hi, I'm so glad to meet someone else who is young struck with this horrid disease. I'm 16 and have struggling with all of my mysterious symptoms for the past 3 years. I completely know what you mean about your emotions being all over the place. I just recently found out about this horrid disease, but it and of the horrid symptoms have completely taken over my life so finding out I had it was actually a relief because I finally had a clue about what was going on. I really really miss toast. *sigh* This is hard. Snap peas with hummus are my saving grace of a snack. If you'd be okay with it I'd really be interested in corresponding with you! :D I've been trying to find someone who can relate to the frustrations of this disease and still trying to keep up with school (&other young people worries :P). Hope we, and everyone on this blog of course, get better soon. :)

Fiona, If you type in Katies Candida Blog, you will come to a great blog on candida written by Katie who also lives in the UK. She will be able to direct you where you can get the food you need to eat over there. I live in the USA and have no idea what or where your country has to offer. Tell Katie I sent you to her. Thanks!!

Hi AnonymousI have been suffering from gastro and acidity for a long time now. But only now that my tongue turned white and started splitting I know that is should be candida. Thank you so much for this blog, I will make it my Bible as this tongue is the last straw :( A question: You mentioned you will take the probiotic only after the parasite cleanse again..I'm trying to write down the steps I need to follow...You said first the liver cleanse...on the liver cleanse's site it advises to first to a colon cleanse though so that when the liver is flushed the colon isn't blogged? So if I have it correctly, first the colon cleanse, then liver cleanse(which will include parasite cleansers) then the candida diet which should be followed for months!? But when can I take the probiotics? My tongue is in pain :,(

Use one drop of 3% peroxide on your tongue. It will fizz and so slosh it about in your mouth them spit it out.Don't swallow it. A dentist told me about this. You can also make up a diluted solution to gargle as per instructions on bottle. This is good for all mouth conditions. Olive Leaf extract helps too but stopped working for me and them I remembered the Dentist's advice. Hope this will do the trick for you.

Excuse the grammatical errors...It's very late but I'm still awake because of my tongue :( I'm desperate to heal! But I know it will take time and discipline... How is the probiotic you're using now different from the previous probiotics? I'm currently in the U.A.E and I need to know in case they don't have the Truflora available over here..

Nutfairy, The reason I didn't take the probiotics, is they are killed off with the strong herbs. I decided to wait until I was finished doing the parasite cleanse to start them. If you want, you can probably take them. I just felt it was a waste of money for me.

I didn't do the colon cleanse, but I did do coffee enemas for my liver.

I have done probably 7 parasite cleanses and think I have most of them killed off. It can take quite awhile to get rid of them. I read somewhere 2 to 4 years. I do the parasite cleanse once every 3 months. No sooner because I don't want them to become immune to the herbs.

I am almost finished my third candida cleanse and I'm still itchy and yucky from the candida. I also take a liver cleanse and a 50 billion probiotic. How long do I need to do the candida cleanse? I'm irritable, greatly fatigued and so super itchy. It affects my personal life with my fiancé and how I feel about myself. Help!

I too had a hard time getting rid of candida. Check out my posts on parasites.... They are the reason I couldn't get rid of the candida. In January, the doctor told me... Until I get rid of all the parasites, I will never keep candida away.

Hi,I'm trying this candida diet.I'm on it fifth day and have to say,I don't see many improvements.I'm stil tired,but recently I have developed symptoms of fever-my head hurts,whole body is aching(especially legs and ears)and my throat is sore.I feel like more I'll eat only vegetables,tofu,meat,eggs,sugar-free acidophilus yoghurts and nothing else,my condition will be much worse.And my snot is yellow-so I have an viral infection. Is this only phase?

My (very good) holistic doctor thinks you cannot treat candida without also treating leaky gut, which allows the candida an environment to thrive. I have been taking some excellent supplements from Apex energetics for both (Repairvite, which contains huge quantities of l-glutamine with liquorice root and aloe vera), as well as Myco-Zyme for the candia, and the die-off symptoms are not too bad. Sadly my life of shiftwork has been uncontrollable and I have relapsed to drinking a cup of tea or so a day with milk and two-and a half teaspoons of sugar. Until I find a gap that is more comfortable to heal, I do not think it will be easy to follow a more careful diet, although I am gluten-free as it is. I continue to take my supplements, and occasionally just take a bit more than prescribed... will probably have to get stricter, start again and spend more money. Has anyone experienced this? Do the supplements still work if you cheat?

I'm on day two on the candida diet and I've felt very depressed all day. I was a big coffee drinker before going on this diet could that be the cause of this? Do you know of anything I can take/eat that would help with this?

Leah, Probably having no caffiene is causing your body to react. I was never a coffee drinker but my sister was. She missed it terribly and as soon as she could she started drinking it again.

I don't know anything to replace it. I drink herbal tea, but that probably won't help with the coffee cravings.

I didn't take anything for depression.... they say St Johns Wort helps but has a lot of side effects and interferes with other medications. Thats why I started this blog.... to kind of talk to myself about what I was doing.

The candida diet is tough. Very hard to stick to. I felt so much better that it was worth it for me.

Hi i have been suffering from thrush for 12 weeks solid now and have been treated by the doctor with creams and pessaries as well as tablets and it won't go away. To make matters worse I went for food intolerance tests before i took this and i was told i was wheat intolerant and have been on a wheat free diet for about 9 and a half weeks. This improved my irritable bowel symptoms but now I have thrush instead! What dose anyone think?

I could write a book about getting rid of thrush. I am doing great with it now, but it has been months and months of work.

First I went on an alkaline diet like the doctor told me to. Then all kinds of herbs and parasite cleansing. The Docotor told me, until I get rid of all the parasites, it will keep coming back. So, that is what I have been working on. Parasites!

Hi I have tried to do this diet 3 times with no success. I have 2 little kids and the stress eventually gets to me and i break the diet and fall back into my bad patterns. I know I have candida but I dont know if I have the strength to get rid of it...

Carre,The candida diet is a very hard diet to stick to. My Doctor thinks the alkaline diet is better than the candida diet... limiting fruits of course... I started it at his insistence and it seems to work better because I can eat gold, red or sweet potatoes in moderation.

Wow, wish I had read your blog 3 years ago! That's how long I have dealt with it. I am pretty much following the diet except for eliminating fruits. My doctor says 3 a day, but perhaps I need to cut back more. The carb cravings are so hard, even with my best friend, Stevia. ;) I have been blogging as well but made little effort to connect to others, here is my journey thus far: www.survivingcandida.blogspot.com

Hi, I was wondering how long you recommend doing each stage of the diet for, before moving onto the next stage? I tried the candida diet before but started travelling and it became difficult so I hope to start again after I finish travelling! The candida has been awful and resulted in me having all the symptoms of M.E. Including memory loss, as well as IBS and thrush so I can't wait to get rid of it and I'm determined to work hard! Just for how long remains a rather upsetting mystery...

CameraGirl, It is very hard to travel and stay on the candida Diet or the alkaline diet.The length of time depends on the person. I was on it for 4 months being very strict. Then I loosened up some and started eating fruit.

Have you done a parasite cleanse.

Click on the top of my blog where it says, ask a candida expert. In that post is an email of a Doctor I am working with to answer questions that I don't know the answer to. He might be able to tell you better than I can.

Thank you :) I haven't done a parasite cleanse but while in the US I did get tested for all parasites and I have none so I was going to skip that and the doc suggested trying a candida diet though did warn that it can be difficult! I take acidophilus probiotic tablets every day even when not doing the diet strictly (I try to cut certain things out as much as possible but it's hard when I'm livin with family or travelling and can't control what I eat as much!), and I find the acidophilus helps the symptoms and pain a lot!

Hi all! I thought there was no way of knowing if one has candida or an overgrowth of yeast in the body. I have many symptoms, but my doctor said there is absolutely no way of testing for candida. I have been tested for every autoimmune disease only to find that I tested negative for all of them. I do have ulcerative colitis and Im not really treating it because I hate taking meds. I would love to try the candida diet or alkaline diet, but I'm fearful of being sick. Any thoughts?

There are blood test for candida but you are right, they are not always accurate. If you have candida and just do the diets, you won't have as much die off as if you do the herbs with the diet. A healthy diet is probably a good place to start even if you don't have candida.

I had skin test and am allergic to Candida and have been treated for severe sinus And lung disease with steroids and antibiotics for several years after surviving a house with killer molds. As soon as they injected the candida my throat and sinus reacted and my lip and face went numb. I am going to try this diet and to me a girl who was raised on a farm(you grow what you eat) it doesn't sound to hard and coffee and sugar are not bad to give up but spices and pasta will be. Any suggestion for herbs(brain fog). I can't take c vitamin(breast disease) but will take B and D, any others I should get?

Hello, Thank you for your so interresting blog !I've had candida for 10 years now and 8 years ago I went on the very strict Candida diet you describe in your post. I sticked to it for 3 years and got the Candida under control that way, without really ever getting rid of it. And one day my dentist noticed that I had an infection at the root of a teeth he hadn't noticed before and that had probably been there for ages. He cleaned it, and... a week after, the Candida was completely gone. It was gone for years, and has just started coming back a few months ago. That leads me to believe that Candida can also be linked to infections, that weakens your immune system a lot... Thank you for your help and the link between Candida and parasites. I'm going to explore that path now. Cheers, Mag.

Thanks for a great blog and sharing your story. By the way you can do a stool test for candida. Metametrix is also a great lab specifically for stool tests that check for parasites. Tests a regular MD would run probably will not get good results.I am on week 4 of a parasite cleanse ( which is also a candida diet) its tough! I feel your pain, but so worth it to get your health back.Good luck!

Hi !! Quick note...someone might have already mentioned this but you have listed Barley as a gluten free grain ok to eat but it does have gluten... Also adding gluten grains back in is just asking for more intestinal damage to occur as they contain the toughest protein (gluten and others) to break down ( think of kneading bread how thick and sticky the dough is!!) and they also contain some of the most difficult polysaccharides to break down as well!! Undigested they sit in the intestine feeding the bad guys yeast, bacteria and parasites!!!

I started taking fresh, raw, ground bee propolis 3 days ago for a sinus infection and it ended up starting MAJOR candida die-off. I knew I had candida, but I didn't know how strong of an antifungal it was as well.

Does anyone have information about using propolis to treat candida/parasites? It is working very well, I know since I feel like total JUNK!

Would it be wise to also take another antifungal?

Any thoughts about homemade kefir and kombucha? I make my own, but I stopped the kombucha when i realized I was cleansing because it has too much sugar.

Hi thanks for your blog! Ive only had thrush for 3 weeks now (I get it on and off when i am having alot of sex usually.)This is the first time the cream you can use has not worked.

The doc gave me 3 months worth of medication to get rid of it but after two weeks not much has changed think it might be getting worse. I know compared to most people on here 3 weeks is nothing but what i want to know is is it best to just start this diet early on?? Its just I weigh only 47kgs abnd I drop weight easily so worried about that...

I have always been a party girl, boozing, long hours at work and uni, I had been taking alot of drugs and getting no sleep for a while before this thrush hit. So I guess this all needs to change...

Also I have a new boyfriend and this has obviously put a stop to our sex life. Also I guess what I want to know is, which hasn't been covered here is how badly does this effect your sex life?? I guess it proberly differs from person to person??

Hi, thanks for your blog. I am on day 6. I woke up at 5am in the morning with my heart racing and cold chills all over. I had shortness of breath (from the high heart rate I think). I thought I was going to have to be taken to the hospital it was so bad. I had a glass of water then ate an apple (bad I know). within 10 minutes everything calmed down at least 70% and I felt much better. I don't think I can go 3 weeks without any fruit. I don't even crave cookies or candy bard (which I ate all the time before), just my fruit. Do I have to start all over? Any thoughts?

I too suffer from candida. I am 47 years old and had yeast infections all my life in the spring beginning age 13. In the last 2 years they became worse and hard to get rid off. Last May I had a surgery and got lots of Antibiotics. Once I was off the Antibiotics, I got a severe yeast infection that lasts until today. I am on the Candida diet, although every medical practitioner I saw couldn't tell me I have Candida. My test results came clear 3 times and once showed a no yeast abnormal growth. I was already told there is no answer or knowledge to what I have and no lab to identify what I have I started the diet not so good and it took me a month to became strict and 2 more weeks to become very strict. No grains for me at all. I only eat cooked vegetables from the list, some nuts and lots of sesame seeds and one green apple a day. It is 3 weeks now and I have to say there is some improvement, but not much. I also take Sytol (at least 9 a day, sometimes when I am desperate more). Lost weight and since I started the diet under wait, I started eating 3 tsps of coconut oil every morning as a mean to gain some wait back and also as an anti fungi agent. It is a harder thing to do then the diet itself... I am not leaking as bad, but itching as hell. I do not have any other symptoms. Your blog is very helpful. Didn't know I will need a liver cleanse. Do you know anything about the Sytol other then what's in the brochure (which I do not believe every word they say- as you said there are no miracles...).Thanks again for a great site

I am so thankful for this site. It has been very informative. I have been battling what doctors have told me was eczema for almost 5 years. After a recent Thanksgiving dinner, with excess sugar and carbs, my skin literally exploded with an awful burning, flaking, itching rash. After reading several websites, including yours, I have come to the conclusion that what I have is yeast. I am going to try this candida diet (as difficult asit sounds) as I just want my life back!!!

Hi loved this blog, I have had Candida for about 3 years and everything here is comparable to other sites I have been too.

I have only one word of advice.

When you are eating nut they have to come raw and you have to soak them for a day in water.

They have a chemical in them that soaks up nutrients. This is a survival mechanisms that allows them to survive for long periods of time. If you eat raw or store roasted nuts they still have these chemicals and will soak u your nutrients. this is a common problem among hardcore vegans.

I'm in the same camp as you guys, though it hasn't happened in my mouth yet. Not that I know of, anyway. It started as IBS C, and like some of you, thought it was wheat intolerance. I got rid of wheat and added 100% soluble grains and was fine! Still had some episodes but it was okay.

Then it turned into vaginal candida. Yes, some vaginal thrush here and there. Thank goodness for white vinegar. I've been bathing in it and douched a couple times. It kills it almost on the spot and stops the itching. Also, when on the go, I've been soaking tampons in a concoction of juice from the yogurt and a teaspoon of white vinegar, and it helps.

But yeah, like many of you, the diet is the hardest part. I broke down and ate a couple oreos - and I didn't think about my fruit cups. Don't know why I'm such a moron. I just bought it and thought it'll be fine. So yeah, I guess that stuff is corn fructose syrup. Thanks to the blogger for pointing out the errors in my ways!

I seem to be fine with my coffee everyday, and red wine on the weekends and even an occasional beer. Fine with bread once in awhile. I even was okay eating a few of my mother in laws home made almond joy candies, and even her home made fudge and a couple glasses of champagne over Christmas and New Years.

However, just a handful of oreos and candida is back. Just a handful of cakes from the deli, and candida is back. Just one fruit cup and it's back. It makes me wonder if the people are right about preservatives in our food? Preservatives and god knows what else. I eat my mom's brandy balls by the handfuls and naught. But visit a twinkie and hello candida!

Been on this food journey for a couple years now. It started off cutting everything, except meat, out of my diet, and then I slowly added stuff back in. Funnily enough, I'm in the best condition when all I eat is meat. I'm not diabetic, either.

Well, good luck everyone! Let's find the strength to say no! Let's just keep telling ourselves we don't want any sugar, like meditation. If necessary, hire a hypnotist! :)

Hi there, I have had candida for almost a year and a half now but have only just researched what it is etc after being properly diagnosed. Would you know of any blogs in Australia? Also I am about to start the Candida cleanse consisting of the Bentonite and fiber drink - do you have any pointers

Hello again - thanks for the reply, yeah the clay cleanse doesnt sound appealing, but I am at my wits end. Maybe addressing the parasites first like you suggested is the way to go for me.I am having alot of trouble trying to lose weight - my diet is clean and I am always exercising and doing the right things - I am hoping there is a link with my weight and candida. I guess I am hopefull the cleanse will help shift some of this weight :)

I have found your blog very interesting. Long story short, I've had Candida Overgrowth for sometime I suspect. I finally went to see a natropath recently who has put me on a Candida Diet. I've been following it if for 2 weeks now. It hasn't been easy that's for sure. I've been doing a lot of investigating on the net and found a lot of conflicting information about what should and should not be included in the diet which is very confusing to me.I too am from Australia so would be very interested in any information that would make my life easier in this part of the world.Question regarding the Immunophen you endorse, it contains ingredients you would not normally have in the Candida Diet. Organic grape alcohol, kosher vegetable glycerin... why is this ok?

MsBekOR, Thank you for reading my blog. Your question about the Immunophen. I too wondered about the alcohol in it. I started taking it and it worked GREAT, then after about 3 weeks I grew immune to it.

They tell me people don't grow immune to it, but I know I did because it stopped working. I really had high hopes for it because I know how well pine works to heal.

Anyway, if I do it again. I will do it for 5 days and then switch to another antifungal like I always do.

Thank you so much for reminding me about the immunophen. I need to take it out of this post.

I am glad I came across this blog. I fear candida overgrowth for me. I had it over 3 years ago and think it came back. At the time I went to an alternative doctor who gave me Nystatin and sugar free/ gluten free diet. I lost 30 lbs but some reason after 2 years I suddenly gained it all back. Thinking it might have been from all the antibiotics from UTIs. I then found out I was hyperthyroid and usually you lose weight but I gained and then have gained wit hthe medicine. I have tried to take the Nystatin again but it makes my hyperthyroid worse so I have to do it all natural. I have come across taking coconut oil, apple cider vinegar with mother and grapefruit seed extract. What are your thoughts on these? I am having alot of stomach issues and wondering if it is die off. I have so much pressure in my bladder but came back with no infection. I also worry that maybe the grapefruit seed extract is irritating my bladder lining. Does anyone have any thoughts on that?

I was diagnosed with CFS 11/12 by a NHS consultant and with dysbiosis by a nutritionalist following an OATs urine test. I have just completed 6 weeks on the candida diet (stuck to it strictly)taking oregano and coconut oils plus high dose good bacteria (taken 2 hours away from oils)and multivitamin supplements. I have not had any thrush symptoms but have developed IBS symptoms in the last month and in the last week my skin has become very itchy with small raised lumps. I am speaking to my nutritionalist tomorrow but would be interested in your comments. I have just found this blog and it very interesting. I live in the UK.

Hi Anonymous, It seems candida and IBS are like one in the same for me. I am not a Dr.... so don't go by what I am saying. .... but for me the skin problem and IBS symptoms were a sign my liver was not working properly. When the liver isn't working right, the skin takes over to help filter out impurties, toxins...etc.

I was also told to take oils... it really made my gallbladder worse and I think the oregano oil is hard on the liver and gallbladder.

I am currently living in Germany and have been battling these horrible thing for 2 years. It's really debilitating and its so frustration to try and explain it to people around you. Most of the time they seem not to believe you! Even most doctors don't know what the hell they are talking about with it. Whats some good recipes to start off with in phase 1? I need a thorough game plan. Should i take a probitic first or beneficial yeast? I've heard that if you take the probiotic BEFORE beneficial yeast that it's not going to have any effect. Thank you so much for your time and this site.

Hi. I really enjoyed reading your blog as well as your response. What do you think about 3 times a week of consuming smoked fish such as wild caught white fish? If I'm not mistaken it is lower in mercury than some other fish. And how bout smoked salmon? I have cut out all sugar except the 3% in my organic tomatoes and feeling much better. I also have started taking Fivelac probiotics. What I'll find challenging but will try is quitting coffe. I get my coffe beans from a really good source and then grind them and filter them with no sugar or milk. Should I completely cut that out too? I have also been on this reishi mushroom and shitaki herbal supplement given to be by an acupuncturist to promote digestion and have been taking it consistently for months but not sure if I should get off it since I got the candida? I really want to kill off the candida and really motivated about being very disciplined. So any suggestions as to the best advice from your experience will be appreciated. Thank you!!!

Well, you know what. You can give everything up and still have problems with candida. I think when it is systemic it is really hard to get rid of. I ended up saying the heck with the candida diet and eating more for my liver and gallbladder. If smoked fish doesn't bother you then eat it. It botherd me because most smoked fish is soaked in things I didn't want to consume.

My sister who also has candida still drinks one cup of coffee a day. I never drank coffee so I didn't have to give it up.

As far as the reishi, That really caused me some problems, but if it isn't bothering you... you decide.

I have had a lifelong battle with gut Infections. Nothing seems to work long term... Diet, herbs, supps, probiotics. I have bad constipation and gluey/sticky stools, along with the usual issues with colitis, gerd, malabsorption etc.

I recently found out I have 4+ yeast/mold/fungal infections and a parasite (taxonomy unknown). Any advice for how to beat these buggers?

I was stupidly put on a raw fruitarian diet to heal my gut. It worked for a short while (paleo/gaps made me very inflamed and constipated), but now I'm a 180 with my health, and not in a good way. I'm eating constantly, despite being physically stuffed. I cant stop cravings for dates and fruits. It's hard for me to digest proteins and fats though. How did u beat the cravings? I used to be underwt, but not anymore :(

Lastly, how did u balance ur diet in terms of amount of carbs, fats, pro.. Like, approx what percent was each macronutrient? Did u find it hard to get enough cals and not be fatigued?

Shelby,Yeast is not fun to go through. You are very lucky you were able to find out what you had.

As for parasites, I cleanse every 3 months no matter what. I also do a lot of liver flushes and cleanses.

I have done the paleo diet but limited the fruits. With the candida diet I didn't really have to balance it to much. I ate mostly vegetables a little meat and tried to stay to 17 grams of carbs a meal.

The cravings were hard but once you get past a certain point, they seem to go away, especially as you kill parasites and yeast. That is what is making us crave things.

Thanks for the reply! I've been eating the 80-10-10 diet, so my hcl and enzynes production is very low and thus trying to digest meats and even veg and fat is harsh

Why did u pick 17g carbs per meal? Also, how much grams of fat and protein did u consume?

Can u post a typical days diet?

What is ur parasite cleanse and liver detox?

This is has been a lifelong battle for me. I've been dealing with gi issues since a kid and have had everything from MRSA, to aeromonas, staph, citrobacter, proteus, and numerous yeast issues. The parasite is my newest family member, lol.

My serotonin is shot too. I feel like a shell that is simply a vesicle for these pathogens. I feel like a cesspool the could benefit from shoving a pressure washer down my gi tract haha

Why r some people always prone to these infections, no matter what they do?

Shelby, It has been so long ago that I can't remember why we picked 17 grams for carbs. My sister and I did this diet together and it was a rough go but we made it through. Each thing you do heals you a little more until one day you think you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

At the top of my blog is a Table Of Contents. There might be a days diet in some of that Mess!! BUT my diet was and is very simple. Lots of vegetables, a little meat and hardly any carbs. That is how I ate and how I continue to eat.

For a snack I do a homemade treat, celery and almond butter, ricecake with almond butter... things like that. I eat very, very basic. I never want to go back to my old way of eating.

Did u do coconut oil with each meal/snack? I know some sites say to have like 4+ tbs a day of Co oil

How much meat did u do for bf lunch and dinner (ounces)?

Did u need to do digestive enzymes and HCl and other supps?

I'm finding that a lot of people with gut Infections tend to be very zinc def and copper toxic.

And, the new way of thinking seems to be to heal the gut lining first before attacking infections. It seems counterintuitive, but i guess this method prevents toxins from the die off from leaking into the body

Hi also thank you for your blog! Never knew so many people are going through the same candida issue. I struggle with tiredness, itchy skin, brain fog sometimes, bloated and stomach pains, and defiantly weight gain and unable to loose. I'm wondering if you have any advice on when it comes to going out with friends or dinner party's how to not be tempted to have a drink or two or eat what you shouldn't. I'm finding it so hard that I just want to lock myself in a room til it's over. The only thing keeping moviated at times is I'll feel a million times better and maybe fit into my skinny jeans that have dust on them in the closet. What did you do to stay motivated?

Candida is everywhere. Some have it and have no idea. The stomach pains for me turned out to be parasites and they can make us gain weight also.

When I go out, I take my own herbal tea bags because I can't drink alcohol any longer. I make myself a cup of tea and that helps a lot..... But I do know what you mean about locking yourself in a room until it is over. I used to feel the same way. Eventually, when you start feeling better, you won't crave things like you once did

hey thnks so much for putting together this blog.i have had chronic problems in my ears for years since i can remember. bascially i feel like theyre always popped and pressured. in addition, occasional sinus headeaches dizinnes. and always cloudy feeling in the head that drives me crazy!!!just recently i was told that i have candida and have been trying to fight it for two months. i started with a two weeks herbal cleansing. and then a diet where i cut out yeast, and sweet foods, and the other things listed here. i still havent had any relief in my ears or cloudiness. any advice? can the candida be directly related to the popped pressured ears?ive treid having them cleaned out before at an ear doctor, but he used the metal hook method to get out wax. he found huge chunks of wax. but the method was extremely painfull, and didnt relaly help. also he made me bleed blood in my ear. i was advised by someone to try to put olive oil with garlic in my ears for around 10 days, and then hydrogen peroxide for 3 days, and then go to the doctor to vacume the ears out. but i wanted first to get second opinions before i do something like htat. the problem is as soon as i drop anything in my ears, my ears get blocked, the drops wont go down the canal and i cant hear for a few hours or days till the drops go down...

Ohel, I have used the garlic and olive oil... plus anything else I could think of. There are ear Drs who flush the ear out with water and some of them use nystatin or other things for fungus. I had it done once and my ears felt great right after. The candida did come back into my ears.

i've had two painful flare-ups with severe cramping for a few days then wind which is so painful i can hardly sit down... am trying to find what brings this on and obviously our dear friend candida is a suspect. How on earth do you find out if you have it or not?

also a tip about constipation for all those fellow sufferers: i discovered by chance that star anise tea regulates my constipation beautifully. I steep about 3 little stars in about half a litre of boiling water for a few hours (in a thermos flask) and drink it throughout the day. it's lovely if you like the taste of aniseed and i cannot recommend it highly enough as an antidote to constipation.

Usually excess and painful gas is a sign of parasites. I had that problem also a few years ago. Now, I hardly ever have gas.

Never tried star of anise tea, but it sounds really good.

As for finding out for sure if you have candida. I don't know if there is a for sure way. I found a Dr who just looked in my nose ears and mouth and said Yes, You have candida. Plus I did the spit test.

just overwhelmed with all the comments what a journey all of you..suffered thrush all my life I have food allergies and have recently done 9 months of no carbs no sugar and anything out of a packed has been a no no.. no alchol or coffee or tea. I have had tongue tingling and swelling as well as lip swell for years.. only getting to the bottam of it now not sure I will ever be able to eat normally again I am in denial as its extremely hard what do you do its about your health and your body ..good luck everyone

Anonymous, the burning tongue and the ringing in my ears was the last to go. If I wanted to, I could now eat as to what people refer to as normal. I no longer want to eat llike that. I would rather eat healthy.

I have candida. I am at present taking sweet homeopathic pills due to OCD treatment. I take 2 small pills 3 times a day. I have started having strict candida diet(i.e. no sugar, no gluten, very less carbohydrate, no dairy, etc.) . My question to you is that can small homeopathic pills encourage the growth of candida?

Shiv, I am not a Dr. I can't advise if the little pills would encourage candida growth. I can tell you, I watch everything I put in my mouth. I never had candida until I started taking little pills for Osteoperosis. Both my sister and I were taking them and both of us ended up with candida.

I have not heard anyone say anything about specific symptoms of candida. I am asthmatic but years of prednisone and antibiotics have made my asthma much worse. I feel like I have cobwebs in my chest and wheeze all the time. Has anyone else had candida manifest itself this way.

It is VERY scary. I believe that humans, just like animals have parasites. I have... or had parasites. I may have gotten rid of them, but since Drs won't really discuss parasites with me,... I am on my own. I still continue to cleanse because I can get them back. I feel, You can be the cleanest person in the world and still get parasites

Just RELAX, read as much on the internet as you can find. Find out what works for you and go with it. We can heal and if you are lucky, you will find a real Dr to help, but they are few and far between.

Hi,I am 50 years suffering from recurrent yeast infection with a little thrush and very bad anal itching and burning. I had a bout a few months ago with a bad upper respiratory infection and had been on a dose of antibiotics. This came after a bout late last year with some kind of virus in which they gave me antibiotics. I had also quit using my estrogen cream (had a hysterectomy in 14 years ago) and developed vaginal atrophy as a result. I have rheumatoid arthritis and take methotrexate shots once a week to keep the swelling down. My gyno and arthritis doc have given me about 3 rounds of diflucan.I am following the Candida diet but did have an apple the other day after working out and some brown rice later in the day. The itching and burning came back with a little yeast. I am beginning to wonder if I have parasites also. So I am interested in the parasite cleanse. Under my arthritis doc's advice, I did not take my shot this week to help take a load off my system from the steroids. I am praying the shot will not cause it to come back full force. My biggest question is how do I know if the beef I am consuming is steroid free. We live in a small rural town and don't have health food stores to speak of. I am buying amish chicken but I can't get amish beef. I spoke to the butcher at the market I use and he didn't know except for the amish chicken is organic and cage free. Also, we are going on vacation in a few weeks and I really want to eat fresh fish. Will this give me a set back? And do I really have to soak almonds or sunflower seeds before eating them? If so what is the best way. We have horrible water (molds our bathroom fixtures quickly and has a lot of smell and residue). I buy bottled water and wash some stuff in distilled water. Thanks for any help on this. I am still confused and a newbie at this.

For me, Anal itching was worms. Once I started parasite cleansing, I got rid of that.As far as beef goes, I am not sure how you would tell for sure if it is steriod free. We can get it sometimes at our Giant Eagle, but for the most part it is very hard to find.

I eat fresh fish but try to limit it because of mercury. Probably fresh fish is better than the beef with the steroids in it but I am just guessing at that.

I solved our water problem by getting a whole house water filter system Hydrocare DualPlexx. I really like it.

I have never soaked my almonds or my seeds. I just eat them how they come. I do try to buy the organic ones so there are no pestisides in them and raw if possible so you don't get any bad oils that clog up my liver.

It is so hard to get over parasites and candida. I had to make a complete lifestyle change. I wish you luck in this!!

For the parasite cleanse, the only things I have used is Humaworm, Ridset, Parasite solutions, cod liver oil and Kroeger Parasite Cleanse. The Humaworm worked GREAT for me, The Kroeger and Parasite Solutions didn't really work unless I added the Humaworm. The Ridset I used after I had gotten rid of the worms and still got a huge pimple on my face so I am sure it would work also.

I am at loss. After my doctor tested me for food sensitivities, I felt very restricted on what foods I can eat. The latest test results showed that I have an over growth of yeast in my gut. My doctor says I need to elimate even more from my diet to get rid of this yeast so I can start feeling better. So as of now, I need to be gluten, dairy, yeast, and sugar free as well as the many foods that I'm sensitive to. All of this restricting and reading labels has been very triggering. Seven years ago I was in residential treatment for an eating disorder. A few months ago, I had a set back while I was working towards eliminating the foods that I am sensitive to. My eating disorder began to take over and the next thing I know, I'm restricting nearly everything. I consulted my doctor about this at my next appointment and she immediately told me to back off eliminating everything and to work on one thing at a time. Now I find out that I can't really wait and that I need to take care of this yeast issue ASAP. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Sarah, I have been in your shoes. I know exactly how you feel. For me, the most important thing was to cut the sugars out of my diet. Carbs are another big problem. I still don't do a lot of carbs. If I do, my tongue will start burning. I mostly try to eat vegetables... not the ones with carbs but green vegetables. I eat a little protein and even less carbs. Sticking to that, I got better slowly.

I did a parasite cleanse and to this day do them every 3 to 6 months. They are what helps keep me well.

I am not sure what you are asking but for me. Candida and parasites go hand in hand.

Terry, Thank you for the attention and great care you put into this blog! If I may comment on Sarah's post - it sounds like she is worried about her eating disorder taking hold if she commits to eliminating foods. Sarah, find a therapist (one with expertise in ED) who will walk with you through this journey. That may ease your fear.As for me, I began eliminating candida and healing my gut two months ago. I traveled from the east coast of Canada to Saskatchewan to have my blood analyzed by my son's boss (my son is an ND and works in a clinic where they have been experiencing great success for over 20 years by helping people heal their blood). It was stunning to see the evidence of bacteria and candida all through my blood samples, and then to compare my samples with my husband's healthy blood. I am confident that by following this diet and taking substantial supplementation for several months, I will be well on my way to a healthier me!My motto? Stop focusing on what you can't eat; focus on what you can!

Terry, Thank you for the attention and great care you put into this blog! If I may comment on Sarah's post - it sounds like she is worried about her eating disorder taking hold if she commits to eliminating foods. Sarah, find a therapist (one with expertise in ED) who will walk with you through this journey. That may ease your fear.As for me, I began eliminating candida and healing my gut two months ago. I traveled from the east coast of Canada to Saskatchewan to have my blood analyzed by my son's boss (my son is an ND and works in a clinic where they have been experiencing great success for over 20 years by helping people heal their blood). It was stunning to see the evidence of bacteria and candida all through my blood samples, and then to compare my samples with my husband's healthy blood. I am confident that by following this diet and taking substantial supplementation for several months, I will be well on my way to a healthier me!My motto? Stop focusing on what you can't eat; focus on what you can!

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IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE: The information and products on this Blog (MY Journey With Candida) are not intended to be used for the diagnosis, treatment, cure, orprevention of any disease. Anything I write on this blog, I do for my own benefit. Do not try anything you see here without first checking with your medical Doctor.

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